The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-24
DIXOA'S TkAalC DEATH.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE
HEARTRENDING EXPERIENCE.
The Story Told By One Of the Party
Who Escaped From the
Storms Fury.

death by lightning of Michael j.
Dixon, the ice cream manufacturer,
and John P. Ryan, in Princess bay,
yesterday, has created great sensa-
ton in New York and vicinity,
where Mr.. Dixon's name was known
to almost every man, woman and
child. At last reports Mr.. Dixon's
body had not been found. There
we're three men in the party, Dixon
and Ryan in one small boat, aud the
third man, named Smith, in another.
They were fishing abont two miles
from the Staten Island shore. Sud.
denly squall arose, followed by rain
and lightning. Mr.. Smith says.
Suddenly | felt as though | had
had q heavy blow on the top Of the
head and that is the last knew for
q long time. L heard no thunder
and saw no lightning. When | came
to l was lying on the bottom of tho
boat. l was daxed and confused and
1t was a minute or more before |
noticed anything wrong with the
other boat. Then | saw il was
tllcd with water and its gunwales
flush with the level of the sea and
there was no one visible in il. | got
up my anchor as quickly as possible
and went 10 il. Mr.. Dixon was no.
where to be seen and Mr.. Ryan was
hanging head down out OF the boat
into the water. He w,s nearly stripped
OF his clothing and he hung only
bya remnant of his trousers, which
had caught in some way on the boat.
IL rained so hard l could only see a
little distance around me. / held
fast TO the body by the wrist and
shouted with all my power for help.
But 1t was Of no use. IL was two
miles TO land and the storm drowned
my voice. l managed at last to get
an car in my right hand, and, holding
Mr.. Ryans body by the wrist with
my left, i started TO paddle to shore.
towing the corpse behind me. /
made little progress and / stopped
every now and then 20 shout with all
my strength for help. | must have
worked in this way fully three quar-.
tiers OF an hour. Finally | saw n
boat putting of and / knew / had
been heard. TWAS Benjamin West.
colt who heard me first. and he came
10 me as fast a. he could. The atorm
had all blown over now. Following
Mr.. Westcott three colored men came
out 10 another boat. The colored
men did not want 10 take the body
out OF the water on account OF the
coroner, thinking they might be VIC.
latiug the law. insisted. and we eot
II into the boat I was so exhaust.
ed bythe work and the shock that I
could do nothing moro. / lay back
in my boat and they towed me
DIR. Dixon's body was nowhere TO
be seen. The boat was towed into
the shore and drawn up on tho bench
near whore Mr.. Rysn's body was.
The boat was split slightly in the
bottom, and the boards along the
inside were torn loose. When the
boat was baled out two ten. cent
pieces, Mr.. Ryan's knife, A shirt.
stud, aud an ivory sleeve. button.
we're found among tho fish that
were lying in the bottom. Mr..
Ryan was also in the ice cream bust.
ness in New York, and had made A
considerable fortune. lie was A
large, fne.looking man, OF about
sixty. He leaves widow and Eve
children. Mr.. Dixon was about
forty'two years old. He leaves a
widow and two daughters. lie pos.
sesscd extensive means. His bust.
ness signs 10 the city and country
are everywhere, aud his carts are
legion.
LATER.-The body Of Mr.. Dickson
was recovered this morning near the
spot where IL went down. The an.
nearaucc OF the body shows that Mr..
Dickson was not struck by Lightning.
but was stunned by the shock and
thrown overload, and was drowned
before assistance could reach him.
The body was we'll preserved and at.
tired in full suit Of clothes. Mr..
DIXON wore diamond stud valued
at $1,000, which was recovered.